Snow runner

ABSTRACT

A snow-running vehicle with a rear ski fixed to a seat-carrying frame and with a dirigible front ski has a steering post journaled in the frame and connected with the front ski via an elastic but torsion-resistant link, such as a strong leaf spring, which allows the front ski to swing up and down with reference to the frame but which opposes canting and veering motions thereof.

United States Patent [1 1 Brenter 111 3,729,208 [451 Apr. 24, 1973 1 SNOW RUNNER [76] Inventor: Erich Brenter, Haide 163, Hallein,

Austria [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 714,910, March 21,

- 1968, Pat. No. 3,545,785.

52 US. Cl .Q ..280/16 [51] Int. Cl. ..B62b 13/04 [58] Field of Search ..280/16, 21, 25

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,526,412 9/1970 Garcia ..280/16 3,379,499 4/1968 Rass .280/21 X 3,451,689 6/1969 Owens.... .....280/21 3,545,785 12/1970 Brenter ..280/16 3,560,012 2/1971 Auer ..280/16 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 178,275 9/1953 Austria ..280/16 273,680 1 1/1968 Austria ....280/16 2,014,176 10/1970 Germany ..280/16 Primary ExaminerLeo Friaglia Assistant E taminerRobert R. Song Attorney-Karl F. Ross 57] ABSTRACT A snow-running vehicle with a rear ski fixed to a seatcarrying frame and with a dirigible front ski has a steering post joumaled in the frame and connected with the front ski via an elastic but torsion-resistant link, such as a strong leaf spring, which allows the front ski. to swing up and down with reference to the frame but which opposes canting and veering motions thereof.

7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Patented April 24, 1973 f 7 3,729,208

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I-

PIC-3.3

Erich Brenfer INVENTOR.

" Attorney Patented April 24, 1973 3,729,208

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I09 Ill l2? l2! Erich Brenfer- INVENTOR.

' AttorneysNow RUNNER This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 714,910 filed Mar. 21, 1968, now US. Pat. No. 3,545,785.

My present invention relates to improvements in a snow-running vehicle of the type sometimes referred to as a ski bob, i.e. a vehicle with a dirigiblefront ski or runner and a rear ski or runner supporting a driver's seat; a steering post connected with the front ski has handles or other driver-operable means for turning the front ski to the right or to the left, thereby causing the vehicle to execute a corresponding yawing motion.

The general object of my present improvement, as well as of the invention disclosed and claimed in my copending application, is to provide a simple and compact construction for resiliently connecting the front ski to the rest of the structure in a manner enabling the front ski to swing in a vertical plane, i.e., the plane defined by the centerline of that ski and by the axis of the steering post, to cushion the impacts resulting from unevenness in the terrain or from clumps of grass or the like over which the runner may be traveling.

A related object is to provide a construction of this character which, while letting the front ski yield elastically in the aforementioned plane, resists any lateral disalignment of the front ski from the forward direction as determined by the steering post, such as the direction of the bisector of a handlebar assembly mounted on that post.

These objects are realized, pursuant to my present invention, by coupling the dirigible front ski with its steering post through the intermediary of an elastic link which is deformable in the above-described vertical plane but resists torsional deformation about a vertical axis and preferably also a horizontal axis lying in that plane, this link bearing upon the front ski and the steering post so as to oppose horizontal veering and, preferably, canting of the former with reference to the latter.

In an advantageous embodiment, the torsion-resisting link between the front ski and the steering post is an elongate resilient member, preferably a leaf spring with a dimension of width transverse to the centerline of the front ski. Such a leaf spring, particularly if curved in the vertical swing plane of the front ski, readily flexes within that plane but offers stiff resistance to any other type of deformation. With the upper and lower ends of the spring positively connected with the steering post and the front ski, respectively, no further connection between the post and the ski will be needed even though, as disclosed in my prior application, a hinge joint could be provided therebetween. With a suffciently strong leaf spring, however, the structure can be considerably simplified by letting the steering post terminate at the upper end of that spring.

The above and other features of my invention will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view ofa vehicle embodying the invention, as disclosed in my prior application identified above;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are views similar to FIG. 1, showing two modifications also disclosed in my prior application;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are two similar views of another modification;

FIG. 6 is a view like that of FIG. 5 but showing the vehicle thereof in an alternate position; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional detail view taken on the line VII-VII of FIG. 6.

The vehicle shown in FIG. 1 comprises a seat 1 on a curved frame 2 of elastic material (e.g. steel) rigidly joined to a rear ski or runner 3 with which it forms a generally U-shaped structure having the configuration of a forwardly open vertical loop. Complementing the loop 2, 3 is a resilient yoke member 7 integral with a steering post 7' carrying a pair of handlebars 8. The rearwardly curved bottom end of yoke 7 is rigid with a front ski 9, the entire front assembly 7 9 being connected by hinges 4, 5 with the rear assembly 1 3 for relative swinging about an axis 6 which lies in the vertical plane of symmetry of the vehicle and is slightly rearwardly inclined with reference to the vertical.

The front ski 9 is seen to be freely swingable, in the vertical plane including the axis 6, by virtue of the resiliency of the spur of yoke 7 to which it is attached. The elastic yieldability of members 2 and 7 also provides a resilient suspension for seat 1 which therefore is free to move up and down above the rear ski 3. Steering post 7 includes an acute angle with hinge axis 6.

The vehicle of FIG. 2 is generally similar to that of FIG. 1, except that the seat-supporting frame is now a closed loop having a generally horizontal section 20, a downwardly curved front section 2a merging into the rear ski 3a, and a downwardly curved rear section 2a fixedly joined to this ski. As in the preceding embodiment, the vertically movable seat 1 is mounted on the frame'at an intermediate point of the loop. The steering post 7a with its handlebars 8a is designed as a unitary yoke member hinged to the frame structure 2a, 2a, 2a", 3a by a lug 4a and a pin 5a. Again the front ski 9a is joined to a lower spur of steering post 7a, i.e. to a curved link portion generally tangent to the substantially straight handlebar-carrying upper portion.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the forward portion 14 of the seat-supporting frame 2b has lugs 4b, 5b engaging the steering post 7b which is rotatable as well as axially slidable therein, the bearing formed by lug 5b resting on the top of a curved leaf spring 11 whose lower end lies flat against front runner 9b between the arms of a U-shaped bracket 19 which defines a pivotal connection between this runner and the steering post 7b. If the spring 11 is rigidly connected with lug 5b, this blade will also exert an aligning action upon the front ski 9b with reference to the rear ski 3b. In this case, the spring will also relieve the hinge joint 19 from stress in opposing a veering as well as canting of the ski 9b with reference to post 7b.

FIG. 4 shows a vehicle, generally similar to that of FIG. 1. with a looped frame 102 supporting a seat 101 and having a steering postv 107 with handlebars 108 journaled to a forward portion thereof. Post 107 terminates at its bottom in a generally S-shaped leaf spring 111 of gooseneck configuration which, like the spring 11 of FIG. 3 and as best seen in FIG. 7, has a width substantially exceeding its thickness, its dimension of width being perpendicular to the centerline of the front ski 109 which is fastened by a bracket to the rearwardly pointing lower end of the spring. Rear ski 103, which is rigid with frame 102, has its tip connected with bracket 120 and therefore with the lower end of spring 111 by an arm 121 which forms an extension of the frame and is articulated to the two skis at 122 and 123 so as to be movable in the vertical plane of the vehicle frame. The front joint 122 is of the universal type and in line with the axis of'post 107 to allow for an at least limited swing of the steering-post assembly 107, 108 together with ski 109 and spring 111 about that axis. One of the, two joints 122, 123 could be made detachable preparatorily to a reversal of handlebars 108, spring 1 1 1 and ski 109 into an alternate position, illustrated in dot-dash lines, for easier storage and transportation. In this collapsed position, the normally forwardly bulging lower part of spring 111 extends rearwardly into the frame 102 with a resulting saving ofspace.

Whereas in FIG. 4 the lower end of spring 111 approaches the upper surface of front runner 109 at an acute angle of roughly 30, this end may be faired tangentially into the ski as illustrated in the modified arrangement of FIGS. 5 7 where the bracket 120 has been omitted and the spring 111 is directly riveted or bolted to the ski 109. The flexibility of the spring in the vertical swing plane is somewhat greater in the latter embodiment, given the same cross-section and material (steel) as in the vehicle of FIG. 4. On sliding down a mound (FIGS. 5 and 6), the front ski 109 tilts first downwardly and then upwardly, with reference to the rear ski 103, with resilient cushioning of the impact by reason of the elastic deformability of the spring in the plane ofits curvature.

It will be appare'nt that the seat-supporting frame of my improved vehicle need'not be looped, as shown, but could be of any construction accommodating the dirigible front ski with its steering post and leaf spring or equivalent link member. If the frame itself is rigid, rather than elastically deformable as shown and described, the seat may be supported thereon by suspension springs or other resilient cushioning means as is well known per se.

1 claim:

1. In a snow-running vehicle comprising an elastic frame, a rear ski rigid with said frame and supporting same, a seat carried on said frame, bearing means on a forward portion of said frame, a steering post journaled in.said bearing means for rotation about a generally vertical pivotal axis, and a dirigible front ski operatively coupled with said steering post, the improvement wherein the coupling between said front ski and said steering post comprises an elastic link deformable in a vertical plane defined by said pivotal axis and the centerline of said front ski but resisting torsional deformation about a vertical axis and twisting about a horizontal axis in said plane; said link having an upper end rigidly connected with said steering post and a curved lower portion positively connected with a rear part of said front ski adjacent the rear end thereof for joint movement therewith, thereby facilitating vertical swinging but opposing horizontal veering and canting, of said front ski relative to said rear ski, the latter being articulated to said lower portion by a fulcrum in line with said pivotal axis and substantially at the junction of said lower portion with said rear part.

2. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said link is a leaf spring with a dimension of width transverse to the centerline of said front ski,

3. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said leaf spring is generally gooseneck-shaped.

4. he improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said lower end merges substantially tangentially with said front ski.

5. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said frame has an extension engaging the lower end of said spring substantially in line with the axis of said steering post.

6. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said steering post, said spring and said front ski are jointly 'rotatable through with reference to said frame into a collapsed position.

7. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said lower portion curves downwardly and rearwardly while converging toward said rear part of said front ski. 

1. In a snow-running vehicle comprising an elastic frame, a rear ski rigid with said frame and supporting same, a seat carried on said frame, bearing means on a forward portion of said frame, a steering post journaled in said bearing means for rotation about a generally vertical pivotal axis, and a dirigible front ski operatively coupled with said steering post, the improvement wherein the coupling between said front ski and said steering post comprises an elastic link deformable in a vertical plane defined by said pivotal axis and the centerline of said front ski but resisting torsional deformation about a vertical axis and twisting about a horizontal axis in said plane; said link having an upper end rigidly connected with said steering post and a curved lower portion positively connected with a rear part of said front ski adjacent the rear end thereof for joint movement therewith, thereby facilitating vertical swinging but opposing horizontal veering and canting of said front ski relative to said rear ski, the latter being articulated to said lower portion by a fulcrum in line with said pivotal axis and substantially at the junction of said lower portion with said rear part.
 2. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said link is a leaf spring with a dimension of width transverse to the centerline of said front ski.
 3. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said leaf spring is generally gooseneck-shaped.
 4. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said lower end merges substantially tangentially with said front ski.
 5. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said frame has an extension engaging the lower end of said spring substantially in line with the axis of said steering post.
 6. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein said steering post, said spring and said front ski are jointly rotatable through 180* with reference to said frame into a collapsed position.
 7. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said lower portion curves downwardly aNd rearwardly while converging toward said rear part of said front ski. 